# US 12,180,005 B2 · Systems and methods for processing objects, including automated processing stations > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,180,005 B2 - Document ID: US12180005B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/384,940 - Filed: 2023-10-30 - Published: 2024-06-27 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-04 - Assignees: Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc. - Applicants: Berkshire Grey Operating Company, Inc. - Inventors: Thomas Wagner; Kevin Ahearn; John Richard Amend, Jr.; Benjamin Cohen; Michael Dawson-Haggerty; William Hartman Fort; Christopher Geyer; Jennifer Eileen King; Thomas Koletschka; Michael Cap Koval; Kyle Maroney; Matthew T. Mason; William Chu-Hyon McMahan; Gene Temple Price; Joseph Romano; Daniel Smith; Siddhartha Srinivasa; Prasanna Velagapudi; Thomas Allen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180005B2 ## CPC - B65G 1/1376: {the orders being assembled on a commissioning conveyor} - B65G 47/962: {tilting about an axis substantially parallel to the conveying direction} - B07C 5/00: Sorting according to a characteristic or feature of the articles or material being sorted, e.g. by control effected by devices which detect or measure such characteristic or feature; Sorting by manually actuated devices, e.g. switches (sorting by hand only B07C7/00; separating solids from solids by sieving, screening, or sifting or by using gas currents or other separating by dry methods applicable to bulk material B07B) - B65G 43/00: Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting - B65G 1/1378: {the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas} - B65G 2201/0235: Containers - G05B 19/4183: {characterised by data acquisition, e.g. workpiece identification} - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) - B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A processing system for processing objects using a programmable motion device is disclosed. The processing system a perception unit for perceiving identifying indicia representative of an identity of an object associated with an input conveyance system, and an acquisition system for acquiring the object from a plurality of objects at an input area using an end effector of the programmable motion device, wherein the programmable motion device is adapted for assisting in the delivery of the object to an identified processing location. The identified processing location being associated with the identifying indicia and said identified processing location being provided as one of a plurality of processing locations. The processing system also includes a delivery system for receiving the object in a carrier and for delivering the object toward the identified processing location. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of processing objects using a programmable motion device, said method comprising: perceiving identifying indicia representative of an identity of an object of a plurality of objects at an input area; acquiring the object from the plurality of objects at the input area using an end effector of the programmable motion device, wherein the programmable motion device is adapted for assisting in the delivery of the object to an identified processing location, said identified processing location being associated with the identifying indicia and said identified processing location being provided as one of a plurality of processing locations; moving the object using the programmable motion device onto a carrier of a plurality of carriers that travel in a continuous loop; moving the carrier with the object along a loop direction of the continuous loop; dropping the object from the carrier into a carriage that travels reciprocally in a first direction and in a second direction that is opposite the first direction adjacent the plurality of processing locations; and dropping the object from the carriage into the identified processing location of the plurality of processing locations. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the perceiving identifying indicia occurs prior to grasping the object. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the input area is provided on an input area conveyor that is coupled to a primary input conveyor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the primary input conveyor is connected to a plurality of further input areas each of which is adjacent a further programmable motion device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of further programmable motion devices are adjacent the continuous loop on which the plurality of carriers are moved. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of objects at the input area is provided in a bin that is one of a plurality of bins, each including a further plurality of objects. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier is actuatable to tip to drop the object from the carrier into the carriage. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where in the carriage is actuatable to tip to drop the object from the carriage into the identified processing location of the plurality of processing locations. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the carriage is actuatable to tip in either of two mutually opposing directions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes removing a drawer with the identified processing location and at least one other processing location when the identified processing location is any of full or otherwise finished being processed. ### Claim 11 A method of processing objects using a programmable motion device, said method comprising: perceiving identifying indicia representative of an identity of an object of a plurality of objects at an input area; acquiring the object from the plurality of objects at the input area using an end effector of the programmable motion device, wherein the programmable motion device is adapted for assisting in the delivery of the object to an identified processing location, said identified processing location being associated with the identifying indicia and said identified processing location being provided as one of a plurality of processing locations; moving the object using the programmable motion device onto a carrier of a plurality of carriers that travel in a continuous loop; moving the carrier with the object along the continuous loop until the object is to be discharged into a selected carriage of a plurality of carriages, wherein the selected carriage of the plurality of carriages moves reciprocally adjacent the plurality of processing locations; dropping the object from the carrier into the selected carriage; moving the selected carriage adjacent the plurality of processing locations; and dropping the object from the carriage into the identified processing location of the plurality of processing locations. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the perceiving identifying indicia occurs prior to grasping the object. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the input area is provided on an input area conveyor that is coupled to a primary input conveyor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the primary input conveyor is connected to a plurality of further input areas each of which is adjacent a further programmable motion device. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of further programmable motion devices are adjacent the continuous loop on which the plurality of carriers are moved. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of objects at the input area is provided in a bin that is one of a plurality of bins, each including a further plurality of objects. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the carriage is actuatable to tip in either of two mutually opposing directions. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the carrier is actuatable to tip to drop the object from the carrier into the carriage. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, where in the carriage is actuatable to tip to drop the object from the carriage into the identified processing location of the plurality of processing locations. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the method further includes removing a drawer with the identified processing location and at least one other processing location when the identified processing location is any of full or otherwise finished being processed. ### Claim 21 An object processing system comprising: a perception system for perceiving identifying indicia representative of an identity of an object of a plurality of objects at an input area; a programmable motion device including an end-effector for acquiring the object from the plurality of objects at the input area, wherein the programmable motion device is adapted for assisting in the delivery of the object to an identified processing location, said identified processing location being associated with the identifying indicia and said identified processing location being provided as one of a plurality of processing locations; a carrier for receiving the object from the programmable motion device, said carrier being one of a plurality of carriers that travel in a continuous loop that includes a loop direction of the continuous loop; and a carriage for receiving the object from the carrier, the carriage being adapted to travel reciprocally in a first direction and in a second direction that is opposite the first direction adjacent the plurality of processing locations. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The object processing system of claim 21, wherein the input area is provided on an input conveyor that is coupled to a primary input conveyor. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The object processing system of claim 22, wherein the primary input conveyor is connected to a plurality of further input areas each of which is adjacent a further programmable motion device. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The object processing system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of further programmable motion devices are adjacent the continuous loop on which the plurality of carriers are moved. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The object processing system of claim 21, wherein the plurality of objects at the input area is provided in a bin that is one of a plurality of bins, each including a further plurality of objects. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The object processing system of claim 21, wherein the carrier is actuatable to tip to drop the object from the carrier into the carriage. ### Claim 27 (depends on 21) The object processing system of claim 21, where in the carriage is actuatable to tip to drop the object from the carriage into the identified processing location of the plurality of processing locations. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The object processing system of claim 27, wherein the carriage is actuatable to tip in either of two mutually opposing directions. ### Claim 29 (depends on 21) The object processing system of claim 21, wherein the system further includes a removable drawer that includes the identified processing location and at least one other processing location.